Book 14: Chapter 11

I’m not a native English and This is MTL. So, I cannot guarantee that the translation 100% contextually accurate or appropriate. If you find a translation error, feel free to write it in the comments. Thank you for your understanding.

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As Little Sister

(My earliest memory is of being alone in a backstreet, shivering in the cold.)

At the moment the Flash is released, Rinho recalls her past.

By the time she was old enough to understand, Rinho had been abandoned and never knew what her parents looked like.

Feeling lonely and in pain, she still struggled, not wanting to die.

(I was treated badly by the adults who lived in the backstreets.)

The homeless adults who claimed the backstreets as their territory were harsh on Rinho and the other children because it was causing their food shortages to run low.

Unlike the Banfield family’s planet, the planet where Rinho and the others were born was extremely harsh on its citizens.

Everyone was struggling to survive, and they probably had no time to feel sorry for abandoned children.

(I was also struggling to survive —— but it was lonely.)

That’s when she met Fuuka.

Back then, neither of them even had names.

(That crybaby, I told her she’d die if she didn’t move, but she kept crying. She couldn’t do anything without me, but before I know it, she’s moving on, and it makes me sick.)

It was Rinho who taught Fuuka how to survive in the back alleys.

Rinho was unable to abandon Fuuka, who was a crybaby and unreliable, and took care of her as if she were her older sister.

Although she said it was a hassle, she was actually happy about it.

(When it was just the two of us —— I was so happy. I think I was able to bear my hunger knowing that I wouldn’t have to spend another lonely, shivering night.)

We survived by sharing what little food we had between the two of us.

Thanks to that, although she was hungry, but she did not feel lonely.

(Later, I was picked up by Master —— he told me I had senior disciple (anideshi). I was happy because I felt I was not alone. ——I felt like I had a family.)

That is how she met Yasushi, was raised, and learned the warmth of family.

When she was told that she had senior disciple (anideshi), she was surprised.

Although she had been growing up in a back-alley and could not change her rough behavior, she was really happy.

(I see. I wanted a family.)

Rinho, who has always wished to become stronger, realizes her true feelings in this fleeting moment.

When she realizes the true feelings she has buried deep in her heart, she realizes why she fell into darkness.

(I was scared of being lonely, so I desperately wanted a family —— I was always wanting, I can’t be the one who gives like senior disciple (anideshi) and others.)

Unlike herself, who wields the darkness, Liam and the others wield the light.

Rinho, who greedily sought strength —— and a family, never had any intention of giving anything away in the first place.

It could be said to be her true nature.

Rinho’s nature was such that she continued to seek satisfaction, even though she was never satisfied.

On the other hand, the blade of Liam’s sword appeared to be filled with tiny gold particles.

Rinho’s eyes could see Liam’s true form.

(Senior disciple (anideshi) —— you are beautiful as always. Completely different from ugly me.)

Golden particles filled Liam’s surroundings and shone brightly.

Unlike herself, who had easily fallen into darkness in search of power, she admired Liam, who was walking the right path, which he had obtained through a hard and painful path.

From the beginning, Rinho thought she was going to lose to Liam.

(Ugly me is not needed in the family. But I hope I can at least be of some use to senior disciple (anideshi).)

Her gaze turned to Edward, who was shaking with fear for a moment.

(Burn it into your eyes. You’re blessed, and you should know that family is wonderful.)

Rinho was trying to show Liam’s existence to Edward, who was like a nephew to her as a School of One Flash (Issen-Ryuu).

When Rinho unleashed a Flash of her full power, Liam also unleashed a Flash.

Rinho’s Flash was powerful enough to blow away everything around her, but before it could cut through her target, Liam’s Flash shattered it.

As it was, Liam’s flash slashed away Rinho.

Rinho, who had been slashed through the torso, collapsed on the spot as she watched the blood gush from her own body.

Her expression at that moment was full of satisfaction.

(My senior disciple (anideshi) —— why do you look so sad? You should despise me here. —— you’re really too soft on me —— onii-chan.)

Liam’s expression as he looked at Rinho was one of both concern and worry.

◇

When Rinho crumpled to the ground, I walked over and held her in my arms.

“——Why did you challenge me even though you knew you couldn’t win?”

When asked, Rinho answered while spitting blood.

“It doesn’t really matter, right? If you’re going to challenge someone, it’s more fun to challenge someone strong.”

“Lies.”

I don’t know exactly what Rinho was thinking when she challenged me.

But I can at least guess.

“Is it for Ed? I saw your eyes looking at him when you fired that Flash.”

Rinho laughed painfully.

Apparently, she was ready to be honest.

“——It didn’t work after all. It seems I got distracted.”

“Why did you do this?”

“It’s not that I’m doing it for Edward’s sake. I don’t like weak people. But —— I thought it would be helpful for senior disciple (anideshi).”

Did you go out of your way to challenge me to a fight to make Ed aware of his role in School of One Flash (Issen-Ryuu)?

“What a stupid thing to do”

“It’s the perfect role for someone like me who has fallen. ——Hey, senior disciple (anideshi). Was I of use to everyone?”

Rinho, who is clutching my clothes with her left hand, seems to have made up her mind.

Because I’d held back on the Flash, Rinho was in a state where she could receive treatment in time.

However, she herself wanted it to end here.

She must have decided that her role as a swordsman of the School of One Flash (Issen-Ryuu) was over.

“——Aa.”

It would be easy to tell her not to die, but that would be an act that would tarnish the resolve of Rinho, who is a full-fledged swordsman.

It is meaningless for us, who slaughter non-human monsters, to fall into the side of such monsters.

The current Rinho is an enemy to School of One Flash (Issen-Ryuu).

That was the worst kind of betrayal.

Seeing my troubled state, the corners of Rinho’s mouth turned up.

“You don’t have to worry about it. Before I came here, I had fights with Fuuka and seriously tried to kill her. If I hadn’t been stopped by Yasuyuki, I probably would have killed her. That’s why I’m glad senior disciple (anideshi) stopped me.”

Her fall into darkness was probably the reason she tried to kill her sister.

If things were left as they were, Rinho would become the same as Farabal.

I should have put an end to this by my own hand.

That’s what Rinho wanted too.

“Sorry, but I’m in a lot of pain, so could you finish me off? If it’s you, my senior disciple (anideshi), I’m sure you’ll be able to kill me easily, so I’m relieved.”

“——You really are a troublesome little sister (imouto).”

When I called her my little sister, Rinho began to cry.

“Hehe, I’m glad to hear that from my senior disciple (anideshi).”

Just as I was about to finish him off with Ellen’s sword, my arm stopped moving.

At a time like this, my compassion kicked in and I hesitated.

Just as I was thinking of quickly putting Rinho out of her misery, my Master appeared walking through the rubble, accompanied by Yasuyuki.

“M-Master.”

I turn my head in that direction and see Fuuka, also covered in bandages.

Rinho is flustered.

“A-Aah?!”

Rinho was crying and tried to hide behind me, perhaps because she didn’t want Master to see her like that.

I bit my lower lip at the pathetic sight of her —— and got down on my knees (dogeza) in front of my master.

“Master! I’ll take care of Rinho. So——please, could you let the matter of this occasion go? Please!”

Rinho was surprised at my offer to give up my role as School of One Flash (Issen-Ryuu).

“S-Senior disciple (a-anideshi)? S-Stop it. Don’t do that. I-It’s better for me to die here. Otherwise, it will bring trouble to our family.”

As Rinho began to cry, Fuuka walked up to her.

And when she comes next to me —— she gets down on her knees (dogeza) just like that.

“Please, Master. I’m asking you too. I don’t want to lose Rinho —— my precious sister.”

As Fuuka cried and pleaded for Rinho’s life to be spared, Master crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

Next to him, Yasuyuki desperately explained the situation.

He must want to help Rinho.

“Father (Chichi-ue) you see. It seems that Rinpou-nee-san has fallen into darkness(?). It is an inappropriate thing to do for a swordsman of the School of One Flash (Issen-Ryuu), but the two of them will take care of her so they are praying that her life be spared. Etto —— was she an inhuman monster? Since Rinho-nee-san is on that side, the School of One Flash (Issen-Ryuu) school must defeat her, right?”

The explanation is faltering, but from the point of view of Yasuyuki, who has not studied School of One Flash (Issen-Ryuu), there are probably many things he does not understand.

Master kept his arms crossed and his eyes closed.

◇

Yasushi was anxious after hearing his son’s explanation.

(There were a lot of explosions and fireworks on the way here, but I never thought that these guys would be the ones at the center of it all. And what’s with blowing up everything around you with swordsmanship anyway? To me, you’re all inhuman!! You’re all monsters!!)

Thanking Yasuyuki for his explanation, Yasushi thinks of a way to get out of this situation.

(What is darkness anyway? Are you in the middle of a painful period of growth now? I’ve done a lot of things wrong too, but I haven’t caused as much trouble to those around me as you guys!)

Yasushi, who suffered from what is known as chuunibyou, felt ashamed when he looked back on his past self.

It was painful to see Rinho now, as if he was being shown what he was like back then.

Or rather, the deep slashes across her torso looked painful.

Afraid to look at the wounds, he closed his eyes.

(In the first place, why is it assumed that I will be the one to kill Rinho? An inhuman monster? Come to think of it, we talked about that before. It doesn’t make sense that she end up on that side.)

Confused, Yasushi decided to keep it simple for now.

(Calm down, Yasushi. I’m the kind of guy who gets out of trouble with words.)

Those words have landed them in a situation from which there is no turning back, so he can’t say they’ve overcome it.

Since he had to repeatedly walk a tightrope on the edge, it would be a failure.

(Liam and Fuuka think they have no choice but to kill Rinho. But what happens if I let the two of them kill Rinho? Even if I mend the ways with my mouth, it will only worsen their relationship, right?)

Killing Rinho here was probably the right thing to do for School of One Flash (Issen-Ryuu).

However, if he were to do that, wouldn’t that cause problems in human relationships? Yasushi considered the obvious question.

(It would be gentle to not let them kill her, but the problem is whether or not they will accept it. If I were to say, “Isn’t it fine?” in a light-hearted way they might become suspicious of my words and actions. The important thing here is how to get through this with an atmosphere that seems appropriate.)

There needs to be a reason that will convince Liam and the others.

Yasushi thought about how he could convince Liam and the others —— and came to a conclusion.

He opened his eyes and looked up at the sky.

“Darkness…isn’t that fine?”

Liam and Fuuka were confused by Yasushi’s reaction.

“A-Are you sure?”

“I would be happy if Master would forgive her. But, Rinho is——”

Darkness and non-human things were of no concern to Yasushi.

What was important was how to make a soft landing.

Yasushi turned his face to the frightened Rinho.

“Strong light casts deep shadows. And vice versa. The two are not enemies, but coexist.”

Fuuka tilts her head.

“Eh? If we’re going to coexist, then we don’t need to defeat the non-human monsters, right?”

Yasushi was flustered by the straightforward question, but he answered without letting it be obvious.

“Coexistence is difficult. Darkness is eager to destroy light. But is it not the same for us if we only destroy our enemies? If we can walk hand in hand with each other, there is nothing better.”

Liam interpreted Yasushi’s words favorably.

“Instead of just fighting, we should also seek ways to coexist —— what a wonderful idea!”

“Umu!”

(Yoshi, I think I’ve fooled them nicely!)

However, Rinho wasn’t convinced.

“B-But, I tried to kill Fuuka. If I keep going like this, I won’t be able to hold myself together, and one day I’ll even hurt my family.”

Yasushi was inwardly astonished.

(In a few years, you’ll probably regret what you said and did today.)

Yasushi sees Rinho’s reaction as completely chuunibyou.

(Maybe I should just go along with it now and tease her when she comes to her senses? Like, we talked our way out back then~?)

Yasushi is a small man.

He decided to tease Rinho as a topic of conversation about the future.

“Rinho, you have not fallen into darkness. You have become a swordsman of the School of One Flash (Issen-Ryuu) who can control darkness. In your future training, focus on strengthening your mental strength. When you are not consumed by the darkness and have learned how to control its power, you will be able to move on to the next stage.”

(I’m starting to feel embarrassed saying that myself.)

Remembering his past and wanting to writhe, Yasushi turns his back on Liam and the others and walks away.

“Rather than that, finish your treatment quickly and return home. I’m going back first.”

(My wife is probably in a bad mood and I don’t want to deal with her alone)

Yasushi, who had lost a lot of money gambling, just didn’t want to face Nina alone.

However, when Rinho is told to come back, she bursts into tears.

“Y-Yes. I’ll definitely go back. I’m going back to Master’s house!”

Fuuka was also crying.

“Good for you, Rinho!”

Fuuka hugged Rinpou with all her strength.

“S-Stop. Don’t hug me —— my innards will come flying out!?”

Brian (´；ω；｀) “The last innards is the hardest part.”

Brian o(｀・ω・´)o “That being said, “I am the Evil Lord of an Interstellar Nation! Volume 8″ will be released on the 25th of this month. Brian will be very happy if you preorder it. Please support us.”

Brian (.ゝω・.)ゞ “And now, the audiobook version of “The Otome Game World is Tough for Mobs, Volume 1” has been released on Audible. Please enjoy listening to Mob Seka!”

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